Jalandhar: Police have registered an FIR at Phillaur police station and launched an investigation into a sacrilege case in Jalandhar, where pages of the Guru Granth Sahib were allegedly torn at a gurdwara in Mahal village.
Following the incident, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) shifted the holy saroop from the gurdwara. As the holy scripture was taken away from the village, emotional scenes were witnessed, with devotees, especially women, breaking down in tears.
Residents said the gurdwara was functioning from a single room, and many women who regularly performed sewa and paid obeisance expressed grief, saying they never imagined they would have to bid farewell to the Guru in such circumstances.
The incident took place on Friday, when a youth allegedly entered the gurdwara and tore six angs (pages) of the holy scripture. Police arrested the accused within hours of the incident.
A woman from the village said lack of unity among devotees had contributed to the situation. “We built big houses for ourselves, but failed to improve the condition of the gurdwara,” she said, adding that the structure was old and poorly maintained.
Members of the village sangat said the gurdwara roof was dilapidated and water often seeped in during heavy rain. They said no formal gurdwara committee had been constituted so far, and maintenance had suffered as a result. Discussions to form a committee and expand the gurdwara were underway, but the incident occurred before any steps could be taken.
As the holy saroop was taken away, several women and young girls were seen crying inconsolably. Devotees demanded strict punishment for those responsible and called for justice. They also urged that the sanctity of the gurdwara be restored and that the Guru Granth Sahib be reinstalled there after due observance of religious norms.
